Invalid lifting device

ABSTRACT

The invalid lifting device comprises two support members 110 and 111 each having at least one vertical or substantially vertical leg 112, 115 and a transverse arm 114, 117 at or adjacent to the upper end of the leg. The two transverse are pivotable relative to one another about a vertical or substantially vertical axis so that the two support members can be displaced angularly relative to one another. A hoist 127, 128 is supported by one of the support members.

This invention relates to a device for lifting invalid patients.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided aninvalid lifting device comprising two support members each having atleast one vertical or substantially vertical leg and a transverse arm ator adjacent to the upper end of the leg, the two transverse arms beingpivotable relative to one another about a vertical or substantiallyvertical axis so that the two support members can be displaced angularlyrelative to one another, and a hoist supported by one of the supportmembers.

Preferably, power operated means are provided for pivoting the twotransverse arms relative to one another. In this case, the poweroperated means may comprise an electric motor supported with respect toone of the transverse arms and drivingly connected to the othertransverse arm, such as through gears.

Preferably, the hoist comprises a power operated winch, a flexibleelongate element which can be extended and retracted by the winch and asling support connected to the free end of the flexible elongateelement. In this case, the flexible elongate element preferably dependsfrom one of the transverse arms at or adjacent to the pivot axis of thetransverse arms. The winch may be supported by said at least one leg ofone of the support members and the flexible elongate element may beguided to a position in which it depends from one of the transverse armsat or adjacent to the pivot axis of the transverse arms.

In one embodiment, each support member has two spaced apart vertical orsubstantially vertical legs connected together at or adjacent to theirupper ends by a transverse arm in the form of a cross arm. In this case,the cross arms are preferably pivotably connected together midway orsubstantially midway between their ends. The lower ends of the legs are,preferably, provided with wheels or castors. In this case, the legs ofone of the support members may be provided with braking means which maytake the form of extendible feet which can be extended to engage thefloor.

Preferably, the two support members of said one embodiment are angularlydisplaceable relative to one another between a position in which thetransverse arms extend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularlyto one another and a position in which the transverse arms extend at anangle no greater than 20° to one another.

In another embodiment, each support member has only one vertical orsubstantially vertical leg and stabilizing means are provided at thelower end of each leg to prevent the lifting device from falling over.The stabilising means may be in the form of elongate chassis memberswhich may be kept parallel or substantially parallel, such as by drivemotors, as the support members are pivoted relative to one another. Eachchassis member may have two wheels or castors and may be provided withbraking means.

Preferably, the two support members of said another embodiment areangularly displaceable relative to one another between a position inwhich the transverse arms extend at an angle of at least 90° to oneanother (and preferably at a greater angle, typically about 105°) and aposition in which the transverse arms extend at an angle no greater than20° to one another.

Preferably, at least one of the legs is provided with a handle wherebyan operator can move the hoist along the floor.

Preferably, the sling support comprises a sling hanger and a slinghanger support, the sling hanger support being connected to the free endof the flexible elongate element and the sling hanger being connected tothe sling hanger support for pivotable movement about a horizontal orsubstantially horizontal axis and having two spaced sling attachmentpoints on one side of the horizontal axis and at least one slingattachment point on the other side of the horizontal axis.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided aninvalid lifting device comprising two support members movable relativeto one another between a first position in which the support members canstraddle a standard single hospital bed and a second position in whichthe support members can pass through a doorway of minimum standardwidth, and a hoist supported by one of the support members.

The width of a standard hospital bed is 95 cm and the minimum width ofstandard doorway is 90 cm.

Preferably, the two support members are pivotably movable between saidfirst and second positions and the hoist includes a flexible elongateelement which is suspended from a position coincident with, or adjacentto, the axis of pivotable movement of the two support members.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of an invalid lifting deviceaccording to the present invention, in an operable condition,

FIG. 2 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the lifting devicein a collapsed, storage condition,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of arrow A of in FIG. 3, with aninvalid suspended from the hoist,

FIG. 5 is a sectional fragmentary view of the lifting device on anenlarged scale,

FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of an invalid lifting deviceaccording to the invention,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the lifting device shown in FIG. 6 in acollapsed condition, and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the lifting device in afully extended condition.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the invalid liftingdevice shown therein comprises two support members 10 and 11. Thesupport member 10 comprises two spaced apart vertical or substantiallyvertical legs 12 and 13 connected together at their upper ends by across arm 14. The support member 11 also comprises two spaced apartvertical or substantially vertical legs 15 and 16 connected together attheir upper ends by a cross arm 17. The legs 12, 13, 15 and 16 and thecross arms 14 and 17 are all of tubular construction.

The cross arms 14 and 17 are pivotable relative to one another about avertical axis midway between the ends of the two cross arms 14 and 17.For this purpose, the legs 12 and 13 of the support member 10 areslightly shorter than the legs 15 and 16 of the support member 11 sothat the cross arm 14 is disposed below the cross arm 17.

A power operated drive unit 18 is used to pivot the two cross armsrelative to one another. This drive unit 18 is housed in a two partcasing 19. The upper part 19a of the casing is secured to the centre ofthe cross arm 17 and the lower part l9b of the casing is secured to thecentre of the cross arm 14.

As shown in FIG. 5, the drive unit 18 comprises an electric motor 20secured to the lower casing part 19b, a pinion gear 21 fixed to theshaft of the motor 20 and a ring gear 22 fixed to the upper casing part19a. A ball bearing assembly 23 having inner and outer races 24 and 25is mounted between the upper and lower casing parts 19a and 19b and thepinion gear 21 meshes with the ring gear 22 so that rotation of themotor 20 will cause the two casing parts 19a and 19b, and therefore thetwo cross arms 14 and 17, to be angularly displaced relative to oneanother.

The lifting device also includes a hoist comprising a power operatedwinch 26 housed within a casing 27 at the lower end of the leg 13, aflexible elongate tape 28 which is guided through the leg 13 and over apulley 29 in the cross arm 14 midway between its ends and a slingsupport 30 connected to the free end of the tape 28.

The motor 20 and winch 26 are powered by a re-chargeable battery 31which is removably supported in a holder 32 on the leg 12. Connectingleads between the battery holder 32 and the motor 20 extend through theleg 12 and cross arm 14 and connecting leads between the holder 32 andthe winch 26 extend through the leg 12, the cross arm 14 and the leg 13.

Each leg has a wheel or castor 33 at its lower end. The legs 15 and 16are provided with brakes (not shown) in the form of extendible feet 99.These feet have rubber pads 98 on their lower end and can be loweredinto engagement with the floor by electrically operated actuators.

The castors 33 may also have means for releasably locking them in adesired angular orientation.

Each leg 12, 13, 15 and 16 is provided with a handle 34 and thesehandles 34 may incorporate electric switches 35 for operating the winch26, the motor 20 and the aforesaid electrically operated actuators.

The sling support 30 comprises a sling hanger 36 and a sling hangersupport 37. The sling hanger support 37 is connected to the free end ofthe tape 28 and the sling hanger 36 is connected to the hanger support37 for pivotable movement about a horizontal axis 38. The sling hanger36 has two spaced sling attachment points 39 on one side of thehorizontal axis 38, at least one sling attachment point 40 on the otherside of the horizontal axis 38 and a handle 41 for pivoting the hanger36 relative to the hanger support 37. This enables a patient to besupported in a body support sling 42 and raised from a seated or supineposition and lowered into a seated or supine position.

In a normal operating position, the support members 10 and 11 extend atright angles to one another as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. This gives thelifting device greatest stability.

However, the support members 10 and 11 can be displaced angularly by themotor 20 to a position as shown in FIG. 2 in which they extend at nomore than 20°, and preferably at about 15°, to one another for storagepurposes.

The motor 20 can angularly displace the two support members 10 and 11between the position shown in FIG. 1 and a position in which the supportmembers extend at about 50° one another whilst carrying a load. Thiswill enable the lifting device to be moved through doors. However, acontrol system including a load sensor (not shown) is provided toprevent the motor 20 displacing the support members 10 and 11 to anangle of less than about 50° when the lifting device is carrying a loadas a safety precaution. The control system also includes limit switchesfor stopping the motor 20 at extreme positions of the support members 10and 11.

The lifting device described above is particularly suitable for carryingheavy patients as it is extremely strong and stable.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 to 8 of the drawings, the invalid liftingdevice shown therein comprises two support members 110 and 111. Thesupport member 110 comprises a single vertical or substantially verticalleg 112 and a transverse arm 114 at the upper end of the leg 112. Thesupport member 111 also comprises a single vertical or substantiallyvertical leg 115 and a transverse arm 117 at the upper end of the leg115. The legs 112 and 115 and the transverse arms 114 and 117 are all oftubular construction.

The free ends of the two transverse arms 114 and 117 are pivotablerelative to one another about a vertical axis.

A power operated drive unit 118 is used to pivot the two transverse armsrelative to one another. The drive unit 118 may be similar to the driveunit 18. Alternatively, it could include a worm gear.

The lifting device also includes a hoist comprising a power operatedwinch housed within a casing 127 mounted on the leg 112, a flexibleelongate tape 128 which is guided through the leg 112 and over a pulley129 at the free end of the transverse arm 114 and a sling support 130connected to the free end of the tape 128.

The power operated drive unit 118 and winch are powered by arechargeable battery 131 which is removably supported in a holder 132 onthe leg 112. Connecting leads between the battery holder 132 and thepower operated drive unit 118 extend through the leg 112.

Each leg has an elongate chassis member 150 at its lower end. Eachchassis member 150 may be telescopically extendible. The chassis members150 are maintained in parallel spaced apart relationship by encodedmotors 151 which are housed in respective casings 153 and which pivotthe chassis members about respective vertical axes relative torespective legs as the transverse arms 114 and 117 are pivoted relativeto one another. Although this is a desirable feature, it may not proveto be essential. Instead of the encoded motors, an actuatedparallelogram may be used.

Each chassis member 150 has two wheels or castors 133. At least onewheel or castor of each chassis member may be equipped with a manuallyoperable brake.

Each leg 112, 115 is provided with a handle 134.

The sling support 130 is similar to the sling support 30 shown in FIGS.1-5.

In a normal operating position, the support members 110 and 111 extendat an angle of 106° to one another as shown in FIG. 8. This gives thelifting device greatest stability.

However, the support members 110 and 111 can be displaced angularly bythe power operated drive unit 118 to a position as shown in FIG. 7 inwhich they extend at no more than 20°, and preferably at about 16°, toone another for storage purposes.

The power operated drive unit 118 can angularly displace the two supportmembers 110 and 111 between the position shown in FIG. 8 and a positionin which the support members extend at about 55° to one another whilstcarrying a load. This will enable the lifting device to be moved throughdoors. However, a control system including a load sensor (not shown) isprovided to prevent the power operated drive unit 118 displacing thesupport members 110 and 111 to an angle of less than about 55° when thelifting device is carrying a load as a safety precaution. The controlsystem also includes limit switches for stopping the drive unit 118 atextreme positions of the support members 110 and 111.

Both lifting devices described above can straddle a standard bed when inan extended condition and can pass through a doorway of standard width,whilst carrying a load, with the support members extending at about 55°to one another.

The above embodiments are given by way of example only and variousmodifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

We claim:
 1. An invalid lifting device comprising two support memberseach having at least one vertical or substantially vertical leg and atransverse arm at or adjacent to an upper end of each said leg, thetransverse arms of the respective two support members being connectedtogether about a common vertical pivot axis for pivotable movementrelative to one another about said common vertical pivot axis so thatthe two support members can be displaced angularly relative to oneanother, power operated means for pivoting the two transverse armsrelative to one another, and a hoist supported by one of the supportmembers.
 2. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepower operated means comprise an electric motor indirectly supported byone of the transverse arms and rotatably connected to another of thetransverse arms.
 3. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the hoist comprises a power operated winch and a flexibleelongate element which can be extended and retracted by the winch and asling support connected to a free end of the flexible elongate element.4. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the flexibleelongate element depends from one of the transverse arms at or adjacentto the pivot axis of the transverse arms.
 5. An invalid lifting deviceas claimed in claim 3, wherein the winch is supported by said at leastone leg of one of the support members and the flexible elongate elementextends from the winch following said at least one leg and extends awayfrom one of the transverse arms at or adjacent to the pivot axis of thetransverse arms.
 6. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 1,wherein each said support member has two vertical or substantiallyvertical legs spaced apart from one another and connected together at oradjacent to their upper ends by the transverse arm associated with eachsupport member.
 7. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 6,wherein the transverse arms are pivotably connected together orsubstantially midway between ends of the transverse arms.
 8. An invalidlifting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein lower ends of the legs areprovided with rolling members.
 9. An invalid lifting device as claimedin claim 8, wherein the legs of one of the support members may beprovided with braking means comprising extendible feet which can beextended to engage a floor.
 10. An invalid lifting device as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the two support members are angularly displaceablerelative to one another between a position in which the transverse armsextend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to one anotherand a position in which the transverse arms extend at an angle nogreater than 20° to one another.
 11. An invalid lifting device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each support member has only one vertical orsubstantially vertical leg and stabilizing means are provided at a lowerend of each leg to prevent the lifting device from falling over.
 12. Aninvalid lifting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the stabilizingmeans are in a form of elongate chassis members which are kept parallelor substantially parallel as the support members are pivoted relative toone another.
 13. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 11,wherein each chassis member has two wheels or castors and is providedwith braking means.
 14. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim11, wherein the two support members are angularly displaceable relativeto one another between a position in which the transverse arms extend atan angle of at least 90° to one another and a position in which thetransverse arms extend at an angle no greater than 20° to one another.15. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim 1, where at least oneof the legs is provided with a handle whereby an operator can move thehoist along a floor.
 16. An invalid lifting device as claimed in claim3, wherein the sling support comprises a sling hanger and a sling hangersupport, the sling hanger support being connected to the free end of theflexible elongate element and the sling hanger being connected to thesling hanger support for pivotable movement about a horizontal orsubstantially horizontal axis and having two spaced sling attachmentpoints on one side of the horizontal axis and at least one slingattachment point on another side of the horizontal axis.
 17. An invalidlifting device comprising two support members each having at least onevertical or substantially vertical leg and a transverse arm at oradjacent to an upper end of each said leg, the transverse arms of therespective two support members being connected together about a commonvertical pivot axis for pivotable movement relative to one another aboutsaid common vertical pivot axis so that the two support members can bedisplaced angularly relative to one another, power operated means forpivoting the two transverse arms relative to one another, wherein thetwo support members are movable relative to one another between a firstposition in which the support members can straddle a standard singlehospital bed and a second position in which the support members can passthrough a doorway of minimum standard width,and a hoist supported by oneof the support members.
 18. An invalid lifting device as claimed inclaim 17, wherein the two support members are pivotally movable betweensaid first and second positions and the hoist includes a flexibleelongate element which is suspended from a position coincident with, oradjacent to, the common vertical pivot axis.